Christopher Mackay’s Blog

Gwynne Dyer (channelling Prof. Boris Worm of Dalhousie University):

A major human food source — the principal source of protein for one-fifth of the human race — is going to collapse in the next generation unless drastic measures are taken. The world’s fishing fleet needs to be reduced by at least two-thirds, bottom-trawling must be banned outright, and widespread fishing moratoriums for endangered species and even for whole areas need to be imposed for periods of five or even ten years.

Unfortunately, the minimum measures needed to prevent ecocide in the oceans would cause major short-term disruption and throw millions out of work, so they probably won’t be taken. It will be much easier politically to ignore what is happening now and let the collapse happen later, on somebody else’s watch.

And governments worry about terrorism.

This story on Slashdot suggests that email addresses used for ameritrade accounts wind up getting spammed. A quick visit to ameritrade.com shows that it’s owned/co-branded TD — Toronto Dominion — AMERITRADE. Have Canadians had similar experiences with online TD accounts? I’ve certainly never heard of any Canadian banks behaving like this…

I think this may be the first Tuesday since Apple launched the iTunes Music Store in Canada that there are no new releases… The day isn’t over yet, but they’re typically updated by mid-morning at the latest.

Could this be related to the release of DRM-free tunes?

May 30 update: Apple has released iTunes 7.2:

With iTunes 7.2, preview and purchase iTunes Plus music?

Not only do Adobe’s recent installers suck from a usability perspective (see John Welch’s piece on the Adobe Reader 8 installer), they’re now a security risk. This is completely unacceptable.

• Adobe Security bulletin

Something that drives me crazy are phrases — many in common use — that are equivalent to saying “blah blah blah”. These are typically words or phrases that add nothing, change nothing, and leave all meaning intact when removed:

• “going forward” — e.g.: “we’re going to rectify this situation going forward”. How is this any different or better than “we’re going to rectify this situation”? Are you planning to rectify it in the past? No? You don’t have a time machine? Then spare us all the “going forward” clarification. This must be the most inane phrase ever introduced to any language, at any time, on any planet.
• “go ahead and” — e.g.: “I’m going to go ahead and explain this”. No different than “I’m going to explain this”, yet inexplicably, three words longer. People who say this tend to say it over and over and over again.

Something else I’ve noticed is people using incorrect words. This doesn’t reflect English as a second language (the examples listed below came from audio files, not written texts); it reflects a lack of reading (it could also reflect a mere slip-up, were it not for the repeated usage):

• comprised/compromised — e.g.: “the system is compromised of serveral monitors”
• relative/relevant — e.g.: “make sure your questions are relative to the topic”

Sigh.

Move along.

There’s nothing to see here.

This writing’s been on the wall since Adobe announced their acquisition of Macromedia. Never used FreeHand, myself, but I never met anyone who liked it. I have met people who loved it, though.

This story (“Web site” baffles Internet terrorism trial judge”; Yahoo.com) has been making the rounds, typically accompanied by howls of laughter.

What’s so funny?

I admit, it’s difficult to grasp how anyone — especially someone presiding over a case on internet terrorism — could be so insulated from the everyday realities of modern life. But I must say I’m really quite impressed that Judge Openshaw is brave enough to admit this. Clearly, he has the courage to do what many, many people would not. Would those laughing at him prefer that he quietly sit back and pretend to understand things of which he has no experience? How could that be an improvement?

I applaud Judge Peter Openshaw.

First of all, who knew there were organic bees? (Then again, why wouldn’t there be organic bees?)

This story (out of PEI), which was #1 on Reddit today, “No Organic Bee Losses“, proposes some very simple causes for the Bee Colony Collapse issue.

In the name of profit, Hershey has pulled out of Canada. First it was the Smiths Falls, Ontario, plant that closed. Now the Dartmouth factory is closing in favor of Mexican facilities.

Buy Canadian, buy Ganong.

I’ve just gotten EastLink high speed internet at the house. I can send email and everything.

The technician showed up at 4:35 this afternoon, near the end of the work day.

He’s efficient, pleasant and accommodating. He doesn’t even mind that my dogs try to scare the shit out of him (I warned him about the dogs).

Here’s the kicker: it turns out that he called ahead (I gave my work number) to let me know he’d be at the house in 15 minutes. Apparently the folks at the office told him I’d like that.

They were right; I would’ve liked that. Instead, they told me that there was no way to phone ahead, so I had to take the day off work and wait around the house all day. Somebody needs to get their shit straight.